American photographer Dorothea Lange said, “Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.” Our community is fortunate to have had so many photographers, both professional and amateur, who have captured daily life, fading vistas, and historic moments.
The genesis for this exhibit was the extraordinary quality of the museum’s photographic collection, and how rarely we get to show off some of the sub-collections. As museum staff began to select photos, we also realized this was a perfect opportunity to share with the public the hows, why, whens, and wheres of how we look at these images. From early “photoshopping” (hand-tinting and retouching ) to the clues (and sometimes erroneous info) on the reverse sides of photos, we’re pleased to share this process with you.
We invite you to really look at the photos and see the people, places, and moments that have been captured; each an instant in Danbury’s more than 300 years of history, images of a place and time.
Our third "extra" online portion of the exhibit is up on the Exhibit Extras page, featuring a really special series of photos from 1924.
It can sometimes be a challenge to see ourselves in images of the past--the dated clothing and hairstyles, the sometimes stiff and stuffy posing. With the advent of the popular and affordable Kodak Brownie camera, however, candid photographs capturing moments large and small was easy for most everyone.
We used the "Getting a Lift" photo (right) in our exhibit because even though the clothing and hairstyles are not modern, these young women are really not so much different from us. They wanted to capture a happy moment with their friends--and had social media been around then, this would have surely been one "for the 'gram!"
This collection of photos from 1924 shows a group of classmates from the Danbury Normal School (the teaching college that would become today's WCSU) during their final months in school. There are great photos of Miry Brook school where perhaps they taught, images that record their hike to the "Mine at Long Hill," and wonderfully candid shots showing a group of friends that could be any of us today.
What makes this collection even more special is that every photograph is labeled extensively on the back with a date, names, and generally a place too.
Enjoy some of these special photos below!
Ruth H Mallory was born on July 8, 1908. A member of two prominent Danbury families at birth--the Mallorys and the Cowperthwaites--Ruth would be educated at the Low-Heywood School in Stamford, Connecticut, and then study at the Clarence H White School of Photography in New York City.
Clarence H White (1871–1925) was a self-taught photographer from rural Ohio, who first became famous for his delicate, idealized images of rural family life. As you peruse Ruth Mallory's mostly pastoral images, it's not difficult to see where White's school would have influenced her work. Mallory had a very skilled eye and was clearly devoted to her art and to capturing scenes around greater Danbury.
In June of 1941 Ruth H Mallory married William Webb Sunderland, part of another celebrated Danbury family and a talented architect. As their wedding announcement in the Danbury News-Times read: "The wedding unites two of Danbury's oldest and most prominent families. The bride is a granddaughter of the late Charles Mallory . . .the groom is the third member of a family prominently identified with the building trade."
Ruth H Mallory Sunderland lived to be 95 years old, dying in December of 2003. Her obituary notes that she was a well-known photographer and member of the Bridgeport Camera Club as well being a lifetime member of the Danbury Garden Club and the First Congregational Church.
Enjoy the above sampling of Ruth Mallory's work, these images are part of a collection of of photographs that were printed in conjunction with local calendars.
FF (It is unclear whether he was Felix Fred or Fred Felix) Lampron was a Danbury photographer for many years at the beginning of the 20th century. City directories of the time show his studio being at 197 Main Street and 248 Main Street at various points. In 1912-13 he photographed the construction of the Danbury Armory on West Street. They are wonderful photos on their own, but it's rare in our collection to have images from that era showing the construction of a building.
FF Lampron died on November 27, 1928, and was buried in his hometown of Nashua, NH.
Researching FF Lampron we came upon this rather surprising find--a photo taken by Lampron in the collection of the Getty Museum. And even more surprising? The subjects of the photo, the fabulous Banjo Girls at Danbury's Taylor Opera House (current site of the Pershing Building).
Read the Getty's full catalogue info here.
It began with a woodcut print announcing the April 1942 opening of what would become the Danbury Museum.
As we were figuring out how to celebrate the Danbury Museum’s 80th anniversary this year, this woodcut image kept popping up. Add in a little 80s “Warhol” coloration and we had a graphic. From there, Danbury (Re)Discovered: 80 Years :: 80 Objects :: 80 Stories started to take shape.
We tasked ourselves with selecting 80 objects, but you’ll notice there are far more, and that’s because we simply had too much we wanted to share with you. There are too many great stories, too many fun objects and oddities, and so our exhibit in Huntington Hall became a kind of wunderkammer, or “Cabinet of Curiosities” where we showcase eclectic pieces from our collection that together help to tell the greater story of Danbury.
Our current museum staff is grateful to all the donors, curators, researchers, junior curators, executive directors, directors of operations, collections managers, interns, volunteers, and board members who have made this exhibit possible. We have the great privilege of benefitting from the hard work and generosity of spirit of all our forebears.
Was there more? There is ALWAYS more. This is a small attempt to share highlights from 80 years of collecting and preserving Danbury’s history.
With gratitude,
The Museum Team
Thank you to CT Humanities, Connecticut Office of the Arts, and the Danbury Cultural Commission for their generous funding.
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